Best Cafe Reinvention

Crave Coffee Bar

Staff Pick

This shop on Broadway Boulevard has gone through what psychologists would call a typical adolescent identity crisis. Sure, it's kept its original name, but it's been handed over to different people at least twice in the last few years. First, it was a hip place with tasty scones. Then it was taken over by the folks who own Safehouse. Now it's owned by Fatmir Morina, who has turned it into a full-service café. It's actually open regular café hours (6 a.m. to 11 p.m.) and serves Illy-brand coffee and handcrafted espresso beverages, complete with artistic foam flourishes. They have a selection of pastries and actual food, like delicious panini and salads. Midtown was in desperate need of a new non-chain café with free Wi-Fi and a conducive atmosphere for working, and Crave has finally grown into one.